Prospective Students: How to Apply for Need-Based Financial Aid

Gettysburg College continues to honor a long-standing commitment to put the College within the financial reach of all students desiring to engage themselves in our dynamic community.

This commitment is recognized by Gettysburg's being named a "Best Value College" by Forbes as well as being included in Kiplinger's Best College Values among Liberal Arts Colleges for academic quality and affordability.

Looking to the future? The Princeton Review included Gettysburg among its list of Colleges that Create Futures: 50 Schools that Launch Careers by Going Beyond the Classroom.

Gettysburg's Financial Aid Application Codes

When will I be notified about Financial Aid?

Accepted Early Decision and Regular Decision applicants will receive a financial aid decision with the admission decision letter if the PROFILE and FAFSA were filed by the appropriate deadline.

Otherwise, the financial aid decision will be made as soon as possible after the PROFILE and FAFSA are received by the College. Please note: priority is given to those students whose forms are received by the deadline date.

Information about the FAFSA - "prior prior" information

On September 13, 2015, President Obama announced a change in how and when students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Prospective students applying for financial aid for 2018-19 will notice the following elements of the FAFSA process:

Available earlier- October 1 (rather than January 1)

Requires 2016 federal tax information (the “prior prior” year)

We recommend that students and families utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in the FAFSA to directly import completed 2016 Federal Tax information.

For special circumstances (i.e. marriage or divorce since 2016, job loss, etc.) please contact your financial aid counselor for additional guidance. Families can also submit the Change in Finances Form (pdf) to provide updated information.

Information for Accepted and Enrolled Students

Once a student is accepted to Gettysburg or enrolls in the Class of 2022, they must submit the following items to the Gettysburg College Office of Financial Aid to finalize their financial aid award. Please note: any documents with personally identifiable information should be sent via fax or regular mail.

Deadline: May 1

Copies of 2016 W-2 Forms* for Parent(s) and Student

Use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in the FAFSA or signed copies of 2016 IRS Tax Returns* for Parent(s) and Student

*upload these documents securely through the Reconciliation Worksheet or send via fax (717-337-8555) or regular mail

Financial Aid awards are preliminary until all of the required documents are submitted. If there are significant changes in family or financial information from what was submitted on the FAFSA and PROFILE, the Office of Financial Aid will review a student’s award and determine if adjustments are necessary.

How is need-based financial aid calculated?

The FAFSA is used for consideration of all sources of federal aid eligibility. For institutional grants and loans the FAFSA, as well as the CSS Profile, is used in the financial aid analyses considering all sources of taxed and untaxed income as well as necessary family expenditures such as taxes, standard cost of living, and extraordinary medical expenses.

Other important variables include family size and the number of children enrolled in post-secondary education. The student's income and assets are also evaluated

Instructions for Divorced or Separated Parents

The FAFSA and CSS Profile should be completed by the parent with whom the student resides (custodial parent). If the custodial parent is remarried, step-parent income and asset data must be included on the FAFSA and CSS Profile. More information.

Although Gettysburg does not require the separate Noncustodial PROFILE, some information about the non-custodial parent will be collected on the CSS Profile.

If both parents still reside in the same home, both parents' information will be required.

Renewing Financial Aid

Current Gettysburg students must reapply for need-based financial aid each year by April 1. If family and financial circumstances remain consistent, students can expect to receive a similar need-based financial aid award.

However, a decrease in the number of siblings in undergraduate study or increases in income or assets may cause a decrease in need-based financial aid eligibility.

Continuing students must submit only the FAFSA. Students and parent(s) do not need to submit W-2 statements, copies of tax returns or the Gettysburg College Verification Worksheet (unless later requested to do so by the Office of Financial Aid as part of the Federal Financial Aid Verification process).

The CSS Profile is not required for continuing students. Gettysburg's academic merit scholarships are automatically renewed annually based upon academic performance.

How do merit scholarships and need-based financial aid awards work together?

Gettysburg’s need-based financial aid awards may be affected if a student receives an academic merit scholarship. For students also receiving need-based aid, merit scholarships are not awarded on top of Gettysburg College Grant dollars but are awarded in conjunction with grant funds.

Example 1: Student is eligible for a $20,000 Gettysburg College Grant (based upon financial need) and is awarded a $10,000 1832 Founders Scholarship.Financial Aid Award will include:

$10,000 1832 Founders Scholarship

$10,000 Gettysburg College Grant

Example 2: Student is eligible for a $10,000 Gettysburg College Grant (based upon financial need) and is awarded a $15,000 Presidential ScholarshipFinancial Aid Award will include:

$15,000 Presidential Scholarship

Academic merit scholarships are renewable each year, provided students must maintain the following cumulative GPA requirements: 2.75 after their first year and 3.0 afterwards.

What if my family or financial circumstances change?

When financial circumstances change, the Office of Financial Aid is available to help students and their families locate funding sources and understand the options available to them.

Advice may include educating a student regarding the financial aid process, recalculating a family's eligibility based on documented financial changes, or counseling a family regarding available loans and payment plans.

Gettysburg College will consider Income Reduction/Unusual Circumstances(download Income Reduction/Unusual Circumstances Form) at any time during the academic year as long as funds are available.